Woods convicted in Colquitt killings

A Colquitt County jury has convicted Alexander Woods III on all counts in a quintuple murder nine years ago, and he was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences after the jury's verdict was read.

Woods was convicted in the murders of Jaime and Tina Resendez, her mother, their young son and housekeeper in November of 2004.

Jurors came back with the verdict in two hours.

This week, jurors heard testimony from 25witnesses, including two co defendants, but cell phone records were quite possibly the key.

"The cell phone records that show the calls Mr. Woods was getting called that morning to obviously participate were pretty key and damming," said the prosecutor, Assistant D. A. Brian McDaniel.

The motive was greed. "It was a marijuana distributing business that went bad and five people paid with their lives," McDaniel said.

Jerry Johnny Thompson, who was also charged in the killings agreed to testify during the trial as part of a plea deal.

Nearly a decade after a Colquitt county family was brutally murdered inside this home, justice was finally served.

"I think I can speak for all of us that justice has finally served for the watts family and exhausted too; it's been a long nine years," McDaniel said.

"Fortunately the GBI and the sheriff's office literally went to the other ends of the country to find everyone involved, they've interviewed hundreds if not thousands of people and they got to the right persons involved in this crime," McDaniel said.

Emotions were high as Mr. Watts, the husband of a victim, mustered up the strength to address the judge, district attorney, law enforcement jurors and Woods. He thanked them for their help, and said he also feels for the family of Alexander Woods, and stated that everyone loses in a situation like this.

Woods also decided to speak, after his lawyer told the judge his client did not want to. He looked at the family and told them he didn't know anything. He said he knew Anthony Davis, gave him weed and asked for money, that's it.

"He is who we would believe to be a co-defendant was found dead in Lowndes County in January 2005." That case remains open and no arrests have been made.

"He's maintained his innocence and that's his right I'm sure he will file an appeal and we will deal with that when it comes." He has 30 days to file an appeal.

Two other defendants in the case Jerry Johnny Thompson and Wilma Ann Stover testified during Woods trial.

Thompson has plead guilty and will be sentenced next year. Stover is still waiting for her case to go to trial.